As for a prior technique relating to the present invention, there is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Disclosure No. 77470/1973. This uses a head member in the form of a block formed with a guide passage for parts and a through-hole for a feed rod having a flat cross section. Another prior technique is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 20195/1981, adapted to feed flat plate-like parts and comprising a main guide rod for setting the path of travel of parts and an auxiliary guide rod for preventing the rotation of parts.
According to the above-mentioned Patent Application Disclosure No. 77470/1973, since a temporary securing chamber is formed using the block-like head member, it is easy to form the ceiling of the temporarily securing chamber with an anchoring surface for parts; to do so, however, it would be necessary to use the block-like head member, a fact which is disadvantageous from the standpoints of space, weight and processing.
The technique disclosed in the other Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 20195/1981 is directed to flat plate-like parts and is not capable of obliquely downward feeding.